The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1887-07-24
THE AWFUL MISERY or The
POT

When Hood wrote his "Song OF the
Shirt" the civilized world was aroused
to sense OF the condition OF women.
II learned, and with seeming amsEe-
meut, that there were great numbers
Of women, Young and old. doomed to
earn their bread, who. for want Of
technical training, were glad to ofisr
themselves ard their needles to
"stitch, STITCH" at q rate OF compsn.
cation but little above % cents per day.
They could not do the work Of house
hold drujges, some OF them would not
because II would grade them In the
lowest caste, and so mary Of them Of.
Tered for "plain sewing" tina. they lit.
orally "stood upon each others toes"
and ran the market down upon them.
selves. The result Of Hoods poetic and
pathetic appeal was 10 shame and
arouse indolent, fashionable WON.
en-, mere cumberers Of tbs
earth, to organIEs relief socie-
ties and deal with q grss, q ieat on
Of economics involving human life IN,
O dilletants wsy. Cheap terrooms
were opened, and few Of the
wretched creatures, tbs prey Of tho
rapacity Of trades iron grip, had new
cslieo gowns given them, and occa.
sionall y some Of the more sentimental
OF their "Iady patrons" sent them noes
gays, jdst a, the TorieS sent Bibles to
tho Starving Iish la 1916. Bat IN 8
sentimental rot soon decayed, leaving
scarce q memory behind. Aroused
then by the story OF women making
shirts Tor twenty-five cen,s, wha, do
RaglIshmen 1ay today, In view Of the
statement Of the July Fo'inighiiy Re.
rier, tina, thirt are made IN and abou
Londonderry, be'd'd, for a htiie oter fu
cents eaeh-uhiie shirts, iinm cuff, bosom
complete vlh flon button hole, -fBd
that machine. made Oxford hi,h har,
been paid for IN hngiand ai a, loo a rat
a, t,repiy6s cents a dosen. Thts,
starvation rates are mainly du,
10 the fac. that there are bat few
schools for the technical training o.
women, and these are mostly for knit.
ting, noting, lace work and One sew
ing. There are no schools whsi,
women can be taught TO cook, 10 b.
expert laundresses. 10 set type, learn
telegraphy, 10 walt In telephone ex
changes, and bookkeeping, botany aad
| gardening. al which q lew women In
this country are making fortunes
learn 10 be expert tAilors equal TO the
highest wages; to be milliners, q trad.
that requires 90 much Of artistic
taste aud In which personal culture 4
q paying quantity. There are nc
schools for this purpo,e, and the sur
plus female population grows mp In {
Micawberliks hope that somethin,
may tu'n up In the shape Of q hus
baud aud relieve them OF all snx ct,
Of earning Q living. When too lat,
TO learn better, they And themselve
compelled 10 10 to work at the iirs
thing Offering, glad 10 ct q home an'
give their crude services for III
orally nothing. This chespens tn
labor OF women already employed
and meaus another load Of misery 70
thousands. The Fortnighiiy puts IN,
number Of workipgwomen In III,
Uiited Kingdom which include
England, Scotland, Wales and Irelan,
"A, 100000, waich does not includ
the married womeu who help thei
husbands. This 4, 500, 900 is classified q
1900, 900 "lndus.ials, ""domestic work
era" bsing . little less, leaving $50,
37l az remainder 10 be divided. "pro
iesslora's" 2ss,ols, "agricul,uricis,
2l6, los, commercial" 26,3ii. OF ih,
"induarlals' moro than s0O0l0 llv
In unredeemed wretchednets, maxim
hiri for fire ocnb piss, paMi
looms for ten osRh pair and coal
/ for iuclW cenh each. IL Il az,